Will our hands evolve to make smartphone use easier?

With the iPhone X utilising the latest technology to make the display edge to edge, have you ever used your smartphone and thought ‘longer thumbs would be really useful’? Do aches and pains creep in through excessive texting or scrolling? Is there a chance our bodies might adapt to the constant repetitive motions of phone use?

We investigated what the optimum human hand would need to look
like to be fully equipped to handle and use smartphones. Over the
course of our investigation, we consulted with an evolutionary
biologist to see what changes might be possible in the future
(spoiler alert: not many) and we even got some tips from a
physiotherapist to help keep phone related injuries at bay.

So what would the optimum hand look like? If you have a delicate
disposition, look away now.

As can be seen in the concept image, adaptions include a more
pointed index finger for navigating the smartphone, gel-like pads
on some of the fingers for a more secure grip, and crooked thumbs
and little fingers to hold the smartphone better and reach further
up and across the screen.

The little finger would also change substantially to more easily
cradle a smartphone, due to its use as a support underneath the
device. In the image, it is crooked in order to further that angled
support, with an indentation in which the phone could rest. Further
indentations can be seen across the palm of the hand, where again
the device would sit.

The good news is, our hands will never end up looking this way
through evolution. We've consulted with evolutionary biologist
Prishita Maheshwari-Aplin to find out what the future may hold and
she had the following to say:

"As for the way the human hand could change with continued
mobile phone usage, I understand and agree with the vision that the
thumb muscles could stretch and bones potentially curve to allow
easier access to the bigger screens on smartphones. I also see how
it could come about that the little finger could curve for ease of
holding the phone, along with a potentially increased surface area
on the pads of the third and fourth fingers.

"However, this would take many, many generations, and it is very
likely that mobile phones will no longer exist by that point in the
course of human evolution.

"Even in some hypothetical scenario in which the speed of
evolution is massively sped up, this could probably only happen if
the changes somehow took place during generations rather than only
between them, leading to some sort of Lamarckian 'Inheritance of
Acquired Characteristics', which is unlikely to happen for
characteristics that are so inherently morphological and not just
involving simple methylation of the DNA.

"Furthermore, such drastic changes in the structure of the human
hand, something that has stayed pretty much the same for millions
of years since early hominids started to evolve specialised
characteristics for tool-use and throwing/clubbing, are quite
unlikely. In order for these changes to actually take place across
the species and to become fixed in the population, a more efficient
ability to use smartphones has to provide an individual with a
significant evolutionary advantage, in that it has to significantly
increase their likelihood of survival and reproduction.

"Despite our increased reliance on phones for things like
ordering groceries/food and the rise of online dating, I doubt that
a slightly better ability to use smartphones will ever provide an
individual with enough of an evolutionary advantage that changes in
hand morphology could take place.

"This is especially the case since these proposed changes,
especially the lengthened thumb, could drastically affect other
actions humans have to undertake that require an opposable thumb -
many of which are far more crucial for survival, such as holding
food/cutlery in order to eat or hold a steering wheel properly to
avoid accidents."

Smartphone injuries are more common than you think

We polled 1,000 British adults to find out more about smartphone
injuries that perhaps result from our poorly equipped hands, which
revealed the top injuries that Britons encounter due to smartphone
use.

28% of those we surveyed have suffered what they consider to be
a smartphone-caused injury, with getting a black eye from losing
their grip when using a smartphone in bed (which we've rather
unaffectionately dubbed 'phone planting') coming top at 58%.
Our respondents also listed 'hand strain' (31%), 'neck strain'
(31%) and 'bruising' (23%) as occupational hazards of smartphone
use.

Furthermore, when we asked what they had been doing with their
smartphone at the time the injuries were sustained, 'browsing
social media' (58%), 'texting/messaging' (42%) and 'playing a game'
(31%) were the top actions. Facebook (50%) and Snapchat (31%) were
the top social media apps being used at the time.

When we asked if they'd injured anyone else whilst using their
smartphone, half of respondents (50%) confessed that 'yes' they
had. Awkward! Almost half of respondents admitted to being a
'smartphone zombie' too, walking into someone whilst distracted
(46%), whilst a further 30% had dropped their phone onto another
person, as you do.

Top tips to avoid smartphone strain

The physiotherapist we consulted with, Hannah Cox of HC Sports
Therapy, gave us some useful tips and exercises to carry out for
avoiding smartphone-related injuries (you know, because our hands
are so poorly designed to use them with ease)! Take it away
Hannah…

1. Take stretching breaks (squeezing
hands in and out to make fists and star shapes).

2. Roll putty with your thumb in all
directions to improve movement and flexibility.

3. For better range of motion, use
your other hand to move the thumb in different ranges of
movements.

4. Make a fist with your thumb
inside your fingers. Now try and lift your thumb towards the
ceiling, whilst squeezing your fingers to match the resistance.
Your thumb shouldn't move. Hold for 5 seconds, relax then repeat.
These are called isometric holds.

5. Flex and extend your wrists. Move
them through the ranges of movements.

Why do we need your postcode?

Compare deals now

Why do we need your postcode?

We don’t want to show you a load of deals that you can’t actually get, so by giving us your postcode we show you only the deals that are available where you live. We don’t share your postcode with anyone else. Take a look at our privacy policy to find out more.

Test your broadband speed

Compare deals now

Why do we need your postcode?

We don’t want to show you a load of deals that you can’t actually get, so by giving us your postcode we show you only the deals that are available where you live. We don’t share your postcode with anyone else. Take a look at our privacy policy to find out more.

This website uses "cookies" to give you the best experience and to make it function correctly. To learn more about cookies and their benefits, please read our Cookie policy. Using this website means you consent to their use but you can change your cookie settings at any time by following this link.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.